Gray Dawes Travel is to begin operating in New Zealand as part of its global expansion, which already includes a significant presence in Australia.

The UK-based travel management company is starting its own Gray Dawes subsidiary in New Zealand – rather than acquiring an existing TMC in the country as it has done in other markets. Gray Dawes will operate from an office in Auckland and have its own local IATA certification, but did not disclose how many staff it would have in the country.

Gray Dawes said that the move would allow them to better support existing local clients who are currently managed by the TMC’s offices in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as growing business in New Zealand and supporting expansion in the wider Asia Pacific market.

The TMC already has wholly owned offices in the UK, US, Europe and Australia, as part of its ‘Always on’ model that allows it to offer customer service around the clock.

Gray Dawes has completed a series of international acquisitions in recent years, including MP Travel and Verve Travel in Australia. It also snapped up Netherlands-based VCK Travel last year and Florida’s Express Travel in 2023.

Suzanne Horner, CEO of Gray Dawes Travel, said: “Our clients increasingly want global solutions, even the smaller ones. They’re taking us on that journey.

“We’ve been very successful acquiring businesses in the UK, Australia, the US and most recently in the Netherlands, and integrating them. This organic growth in New Zealand, as we expand our APAC operation, is very exciting.

“It represents the next step in our global growth plan and further strengthens our unique Always on service delivery strategy.”

Kathryn Sari, senior vice president of Gray Dawes Travel APAC, added: “With a shared technology platform across the entire Gray Dawes operation, our APAC clients enjoy a seamless, personal service as we follow the sun around the globe from the UK and Europe to America, to Australia and New Zealand, and back to Europe.”

Gray Dawes was ranked as the 11th largest TMC in the UK, as well as the 13th largest in Europe, in the list of Europe’s Leading TMCs 2025.